3 Vikings plead not guilty to sex charges
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MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota Vikings Daunte Culpepper, Bryant McKinnie and Fred Smoot have pleaded not guilty to charges related to the team’s bawdy boating party.
A court clerk told The Associated Press on Wednesday that an attorney for Smoot entered a plea Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court and that pleas for Culpepper and McKinnie were entered late last month.
Culpepper, McKinnie, Smoot and teammate Moe Williams face three misdemeanor charges each related to the party Oct. 6 on Lake Minnetonka. They were charged with indecent conduct, disorderly conduct and lewd or lascivious conduct.
Williams’ attorney, Joe Friedberg, said he will enter a plea of not guilty on Thursday.
Sheriff Pat McGowan said about 30 members of the team were identified as being among 90 people on two boats that cruised the lake west of Minneapolis during the Vikings’ bye week.
The clerk said the players waived initial court appearances scheduled for Thursday. A pretrial conference was set for Feb. 2.
Prosecutor Steve Tallen said Wednesday that the case remains under investigation.
AP
